Talking your way out of problems

Shivani Mathur Gaiha and Spandana Kommuri

If you have students in class who don’t turn in their homework, answer questions or appear to be listening but actually are not, would you label them lazy and admonish them? Don’t. Before you judge such students talk to them and figure out the reasons for their listless behaviour so that you can help them.

What’s appropriate?

Shivani Mathur Gaiha and Spandana Kommuri
Adolescence continues to remain a tricky stage in the lives of human beings. Apart from parents, teachers also have to be alert and prepared to handle several ‘teenage’ situations. One constant struggle teachers, especially in high school, go through is the growing attraction between boys and girls. Is there a sensible way of handling issues that arise out of adolescent love?

Dealing with body image issues

Shivani Mathur Gaiha and Spandana Kommuri
Here are some ideas on how teachers can deal with body image issues that their students may face.

Tackling substance abuse

Shivani Mathur Gaiha and Spandana Kommuri
How can teachers address the issue of substance and drug use that not only have a psychological effect but can also impact the students physiologically?

Talking ‘failure’

Shivani Mathur Gaiha and Spandana Kommuri
You have a student you thought was good in his studies and behaviour. But, you soon find out that he cheats in his exams and fights with his classmates and sometimes even you! What do you do?

Tackling the bully

Shivani Mathur Gaiha and Spandana Kommuri

Bullying is a common concern in schools. Surely as teachers you have come across at least a couple of bullies that you have had to deal with. If a victim of bullying comes to you or if you notice that one of your more silent students is being bullied, how will you handle the situation? Here are some possibilities.

Tackling disruptive behavior

Shivani Mathur Gaiha and Spandana Kommuri
In the second of our series on ‘problem cases’ in the classroom, the authors talk about disruptive behavior that students indulge in to seek attention and how this can be tackled with sensitivity.

The class 10 jitters

Shivani Mathur Gaiha and Spandana Kommuri

Everyday teachers face a lot of situations in school, primarily with regard to their students, whose behaviour can lead to myriad problems both for the students themselves and the teachers. Even as teachers learn from each other to handle such ‘problem cases’, we bring you another column with experts advising you on how to tackle students with sensitivity and care.